Adjustable gearing



Jan. 1, 1957 w. R. REED ADJUSTABLE GEARING 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June4, 1955 INVENTOR. Wadekdaed ATTD RN EYS Jan. l, 1957 Filed June 4, 1953w. R. REED 2,775,903

ADJUSTABLE GEARING 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 di" O 30 ATTO RNEYS Jan. 1, 1957 w.R. REED ADJUSTABLE'GEARING 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fild .June 4, 1953 ATTD R NEYS lUnited States Paten-t O 2,775,903. ADJUSTABLE GEARING Wade R. Reed,Tulsa, Okla. Application June 4, 1953, serial No. 359,496

s claims. (crm- 391) This invention -relates to a` transmission, andmore particularly to a transmission for permitting variation in speedsbetween a drive shaft and a crankshaft.

The object ofthe invention is to provide a transmis-l sion which willenable the speed of crankshafts or output shafts to be varied asdesired.Y

Another object ofthe invention is to provide a speed changingarrangement for use in a motor or engine driven reciprocating pump suchas a pump used for pumping oil into a pipe line gatheringsystem, thepresent invention making possible a wide range of gear ratios to suitvarious engines and motors that are used to drive the pumps. l f y Afurther object of the invention is to provide a variable speedtransmission Whichpis extremely simple and inexpensivetomanufactu're.` 1u Otherrobjects and advantageswill be apparent during the course of thefollowing description.

`In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, andin which like numerals are used to designate like parts throughoutthesame:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the present invention, with partsbroken' away .and in section.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 lis an end elevational view of the body member, with theg'earsremoved. Y

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken onthe line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral designates a driveshaft which is adapted to be connected to a suitable source of powersuch as a motor or gasoline engine, and the numeral 11 designates acrankshaft which is adapted to be connected to kone or more pistons thatoperate in cylinders 12. The pistons which operate in cylinders 12 maybe part of a conventional pumping system for pumping gasoline, gas -orthe like. The present invention is directed to a variable speedtransmission for connecting the drive shaft 10 to the crankshaft 11whereby the speed of rotation of the crankshaft 11 can be varied asdesired.

The transmission is supported on a base 14, and a hollow housing 15 issecured to a flange 17 by suitable bolt and nut assemblies 16, Figure 2.The flange 17 may be formed integral with or secured to the cylinderwalls 12.

The numeral 18 designates a sliding or shifting body member which isprovided with a hub 19 through which the drive shaft 10 extend-s. Abearing race 20 is positioned in the hub 19 and is circumposed Aon theshaft 10, and a cap plate 21 is connected to the hub 19 by suitablesecuring elements such as bolts or screws 22.

The body member 18 further includes a rectangular plate portion 23, andthe plate portion 23 is provided with a plurality of elongated slots 25for a purpose to be later described. A bolt 24 extend-s through each ofthe slots 25 and the inner end of each of the bolts 24 is arranged inthreaded engagement with an aperture 28 2,775,903 Patented Jan. l, 1957in a casing 27. A nut 26 is arranged in threaded engagement with theouterend of each of the bolts 24, and a washer 27' is circumposed oneach of the bolts 24. The screws or bolts 22 serve to connect the capplate 21 to the hub 19. By loosening the nuts 26, the slots 25 in theplate portion 23 of the sliding body member 18 permit the body member 18to be shifted so that the shaft 10 can be moved towards and away fromthe crankshaft 11. Thus, when diierent size pinion gears are mounted onthe tapered portion 29 of the drive shaft 10, the drive shaft 10 can bemoved toward and away from the crankshaft 11 so as to insure that thepinion gear on the tapered portion 29 meshes with the ring gear 30 thatis connected to the crankshaft 11. As shown in Figure 2 a pinion gearr31is mounted on the tapered portion 29 of the drive shaft 10, and thepinion gear 31 is held in place by means of a nut 32 which is threadedon the inner end of the shaft 10. The pinion gear 31 may be providedwith a plurality 0f teethl 33 which mesh with teeth 34 of the -ring gear30 which is secured to the crankshaft 11. A ball bearing race 35 isspaced from the ball bearing race 20, and the ball bearing race 35 iscircumposed on the drive shaft 10.

A means is provided for adjusting the position of the sliding bodymember 18 after the nuts 26 have been loosened and this means alsoserves to maintain the body member immobile in its .various adjustedpositions. T his means comprises a pair vof lips or ears36 and 37 whichextend outwardly from Vthe casing 27 and are secured thereto or formedintegral therewith. A bolt 38 is arranged in threaded .engagement withthe lip 36, while` a similar bolt 39 is arranged in threaded engagementwith the other lip 37, the bolts .38 and 39 abutting or engaging theopposite end of the shifting body member 18.

The drive shaft 10 may be connected to an engine or motor by ;a flexiblecoupling and when the engine is actuated the drivevshaft 10 will berotated to cause rotation of the piniongeai 31. The teeth 33 of thepinion 'gear 31 mesh with the teeth 34 of the gear wheel 30 and the gearwheel 30V is vconnected to the crankshaft 11. The crankshaft 11 may beconnected to piston rods of a gaspump so that as vthe drive shaft10'rotates the pump will cause fluid or gas to be pumped or circulate.In order to vary the speed of rotation between the drive shaft 10 andthe crankshaft 11, the unit can be disassembled and the pinion gear 31replaced with a diierent sized pinion gear. Then, the nuts 26 can beloosened and the body member 18 shifted by virtue of the slots 25 in theplate portion 23. After the body member 18 has been shifted to thedesired location, the nuts 26 are again tightened to maintain the bodymember immobile in its adjusted position. The adjustment of the bodymember is accomplished by rotating the bolts 38 and 39 and thisadjustment is necessary in order to bring the teeth of the pinion gearthat is mounted on the tapered portion 29 into mesh with the teeth 34 ofthe ring gear 30. Thus, since different sizes of pinion gears will beused, it is necessary that there be an adjustment to insure that theteeth of the pinion gear always mesh with the teeth of the ring gear 30.

The transmission .of the present invention can be lused in Avariousapparatus such las in pumps for use in crude yoil gathering lines andIbooster stations, water lines, salt water disposal, flush pumps andacidizing service. The lorankcase may be provided 'with oil orlubrication to lubricate the various gears, crossheads and connections.Also, the speed lchanger of the present invention can be .applied toother drive mechanisms Ibesides reciprocating pumps. The speed changingarrangement of the present invention, however, is especially suitablefor motors for engine driven reciprocating pumps, `such as those usedfor normally pumping oil into pipe line gathering systems. Heretoforesuch pumps have been driven by a portable engine or electric motorthrough la V-belt drive, and the gears which are buil-t into the pumpsare fixed so that the only variation in speed to suit the diiferentengine and motor speeds is accomplished by the V-belt drive. Accordingto the present invention the drive shaft 10 is connected directly to theengine or motor for driving the pump through Iits flexible coupling tothereby eliminate the `v'-belt drive. Various sizes of pinion gears 31can be used `to `obtain a wide range of gear ratios to suit variousengines and motors used to drive the pump. When smaller pinions areutilized, it may be necessary to cut such pinions integrally with thedrive shaft 110. The larger pinions can be made separate from the shaftyand held in place on the tapered portion 29 by the nut 32. Thesepinions may vary from approximately 2% inches pitch diameter having 16teeth, to 51/2 inch pitch diameter having 36 to 38 teeth so that therewill be provided a 4wide number of speed changes merely by iitt-ing thedesired pinion and sliding the housing or body member 18 to the properposition. The gear adjustment is accomplished by means of the jackscrews or bolts 38 and 39.

I claim:

l. In :a variable speed transmission for a pump, =a housing, a`crankshaft positioned in said housing, a gear wheel connected to `saidcrankshaft, a casing extending from said housing, a body member slidably-connected to said casing, la -drive shaft carried by said body memberand adapted to be connected Ito a power source, gear means connectingsaid drive shaft -to :said crankshaft, said body member being providedwith a plurality of spaced elongated slots, .securing elements extendingthrough said slots and into engagement with said casing, said gear meanscomprising a gear wheel connected to said crankshaft, a pinion gearmeshing with said gear wheel and detachably mounted on said drive shaft,an inner portion -of `said drive `shaft being tapered for receiving saidpinion gear, and means `for adjusting said body member, said last namedmeans compris-ing .a pair of spaced parallel lips extending from saidcasing, ,and securing elements arranged in engagement with each of saidlips and abutting said body member.

2. A variable speed transmission comp-rising a base provided with abange, a hollow housing secured to said iange, a drive shaft adapted tobe connected to a power source, .a crankshaft ,adapted to be connectedto pistons movable in cylinders, a sliding body member provided with a`hub for the projection therethrough of said drive shaft, fa bea-ringrace positioned in said hub and circumposed `on :said drive shaft, a capplate detachably connected to said hub, said body member including arectangular plate portion, said plate portion being provided with aplurality of elongated slots, a casing provided with a plurality `ofapertures, securing elements extending through said slots and into saidapertures, said drive shaft includ-ing an inner tapered portion, apinion gear mounted on said tapered portion, a ring gear secured to saidcrankshaft and having teeth meshing with `the teeth on said pinion gear,a ball bearing race circumposed on said drive shaft, a pair of spacedparallel Ilips extending outwardly from said casing .and securedthereto, and securing elements arranged in threaded engagement with eachof said lips and abutting :opposite ends of said sliding body member.

3. In fa variable speed transmission for a pump, a housing, yacrankshaft positioned in said housing, a gear wheel connected fto saidcrankshaft, .a casing extending from said housing, :a body memberslidalbly connected vto said casing, a drive shaft carried by said bodymember and adapted to lbe connected to a power source, gear meansconnecting said drive .shaft to said crankshaft, said body mem-ber`be-ing provided with a plurality Vof slots, securing elements extendingthrough said slots 'and Iinto engagement with said casing, said gearmeans comprising la gear wheel connected to said crankshaft, a pinion`gear meshing ywith said gear wheel and detachably mounted on said driveshaft, .and means for adjusting said body member, said last named meanscomprising a pair `of lips extending from said casing, fand securingelements arranged in engagement with each of said lips and abutting saidbody member.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,297,462 Hallenbeck Mar. d'8, 19:19 l,720,971 Schweich July `16, :19291,740,810 Davies Dec. Q4, il-929 l2,436,746 Drought Feb. 24, 1948

